Ccn-f 


Mepon. 
Conf  Pam 


uonreae 
12mo  #129 


DT^mTMDTE 


MESSAGE  OF  THE  PRESIDENT. 


Executive  Department,    } 
March  13,  1862.       <, 
To  the  Senate 

and  House  nf  llepresenlativcs  : 

I   herewith   transmit  to  the   Congress  the   Report  of  the 
Acting-Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs. 

JEFFERSON  DAVIS, 


George  Washington  Flowers 
Memorial  Collection 

DUKE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 


ESTABLISHED  BY  THE 
FAMILY  OF 

COLONEL  FLOWERS 


REPORT 


Confederate  States  of  America,  \ 

War  Department,  Office  of  Indian  Jffairs,  ^ 

llicHMOND,  March  8th,  1862.       ; 

Sir  :  I  have  the  honor  to  submit,  for  your  consideration, 
the  following  report  in  regard  to  the  operations  of 
this  Bureau,  the  reLitions  borne  to  the  Government  of  the 
Confederate  States  by  the  several  nations  and  tribes,  occu- 
pying the  country  west  of  Arkansas  and  south  of  Kansas, 
and  their  condition  and  prospects. 

The  Bureau  of  Indian  Affairs  was  organized  on  the  loth 
March,  1861.  A  few  days  prior  to  that  time,  to  wit :  on 
the  9th  March,  in  pursuance  of  a  resolution,  adopted  by  Con- 
gress on  the  5th  of  the  same  month,  General  Albert  Pike,  of 
the  State  of  Arkansas,  was  appointed  by  the  President 
Commissioner  to  treat  with  the  Indian  tribes,  Avest  of  Ar- 
kansas and  south  of  Kansas.  Under  this  commission,  as 
was  set  forth  in  my  report  of  November  16th,  1861,  he  soon 
after  repaired  to  the  Indian  Territory,  and,  for  about  five 
months,  devoted  himself  to  the  objects  of  his  mission,  w4th 
such  energy  and  ability,  that  his  labors  were  crowned  with 
complete  success.  After  having  travelled  over  almost  the 
entire  country,  and  made  himself,  by  personal  observation, 
fully  acquainted  With  the  wants  and  feelings  of  the  various 
Indian  tribes,  occupying  the  same,  and  the  measures  neces- 
sary to  be  adopted  by  the  Government  of  the  Confederate 
States,  to  make  them  its  firm  and  enduring  friends,  to  con- 
tribute to  their  well  being  and  prosperity,  and  to  defend 
their  country  from  the  encroachments  of  the  Northern  peo- 
ple, he  succeeded  in  concluding  and  signing  treaties  with 
the  Cherokees,  Creeks,  Seminoles,  Choctaws  and  Chicka- 
saws,  Senecas  and  Senecas  and  Shawnees,  Quapaws,  Great 
Osages,  Wichitas  and  other  bands  of  Reserve  Indians,  and 
four  bands  of  the  Neum,  or  wild  Comanches  of  the  prairies 
and  staked  plains.     These   treaties,  which   embrace  all   the 


nations  and  tribes  living  in  the  Indian  Territory,  with  the 
exception  of  the  Little  Osage  tribe,  and  about  seventy  of 
the  Senecas  of  the  mixed  bands,  were  submitted  to  Congress 
in  December  last,  and,  by  that  body  were  ratified  with  a  few 
amendments.  The  resolutions  of  ratification  and  the  amend- 
ments were  transmitted  at  once  to  the  Indian  country  to  be 
brought  before  the  councils  of  the  principal  nations,  and  the 
chiefs  and  headmen  of  the  inferior  bands.  No  official  infor- 
mation has  been  received  at  this  Bureau,  as  to  the  action 
taken  by  such  nations  and  tribes  in  relation  to  the  amend- 
ments referred  to,  altliough  no  doubt  is  entertained  of  their 
beinf]:,  or  havinoj  been  a^jreed  to  with  little  or  no  hesitation, 
at  least  by  the  Chickasaws  and  Choctaws,  Creeks,  Seminoles, 
Cherokees,  Wichitas  and  other  Reserve  Indians,  and  perhaps 
by  the  wild  Comanches.  In  regard  to  the  action  in  this 
matter  of  the  small  bands — Osages,  Quapaws,  Senecas  and 
Senecas  and  Shawnees — located  in  the  north-eastern  corner 
of  the  Indian  country,  no  opinion  can  be  expressed,  as  the 
Bureau  is  in  receipt  of  no  information  about  them,  since  the 
signing  of  the  treaties  made  with  them  by  General  Pike. 

The  Act  of  Congress,  approved  May  21st,  1861,  to  pro- 
vide for  the  incidental  expenses  of  the  public  service  within 
the  Indian  tribes,  for  the  year  ending  February  18th,  1862, 
by  which  the  sura  of  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  was  ap- 
propriated, requires  that  a  "particular  and  specific"  account 
of  the  expenditures,  under  the  same,  shall  be  made  and  re- 
ported to  Congress  at  the  next  session,  after  the  period 
therein  named. 

General  Pike,  on  the  12th  December,  1861,  in  the  report 
made  by  him  to  the  President  of  the  results  of  his  mission 
to  the  Indians,  states  substantially,  that  he  went  to  the  In- 
dian country,  without  having  received  from  the  Government 
of  the  Confederate  States  any  funds  for  the  purposes  in  which 
he  was  eno^a2;ed,  and  that  while  there,  he  received  none  until 
October,  except  a  small  sum  from  the  Commissioner  of  In- 
dian Aifairs.  To  defray  his  expenses  he  resorted  to  the  plan 
of  drawing  drafts  on  the  Department  of  State,  und^r  the 
supervision  and  direction  of  which  branch  of  the  Govern- 
ment, he  had  set  out  upon  his  mission.  Two  of  these  drafts, 
one  for  $238  57  in  favor  of  R.  L.  Armistead,  for  supplies, 
and  the  other  for  $2S\  50  in  favor  of  W.  Warren  Johnson, 
for  services  rendered,  were  paid  by  the  Treasury  Depart- 
ment upon  requisitions  of  the  late  Secretary  of  War.  These 
were  the  first  too   items  of  expenditure,   under   this   act   of 


appropriation  of  May  21st.  On  the  22d  September  last^ 
however,  it  was  determined  that  the  only  cours9  which  could 
be  adopted,  under  the  law,  for  the  settlement  of  the  debts 
contracted  by  General  Pike,  as  Commissioner,  was  by  phicing 
funds  to  his  credit  in  the  Treasury,  against  which  he  could 
check,  from  time  to  time,  as  he  might  require  the  money. 
This  determination  involved  the  necessity  of  General  Pike's 
taking  up  the  drafts  drawn  by  him  on  the  Department  of 
the  State.  The  sum  of  $20,0(10  was  deemed  sufficient  ta 
enable  him  to  do  this,  and  to  meet  his  other  necessary  ex- 
penses, as  Commissioner;  and  accordingly  the  disposition 
above  suggested  was  made  of  that  amount  of  the  said  appro- 
priation. 

Out  of  the  same  appropriation  the  following  sums,  for  the 
purposes  and  at  the  periods  hereinafter  specified,  were  also 
drawn : 

The  sum  of  $25,000,  in  November,  1861,  was  placed  to 
the  credit  of  the  Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs,  to  buy 
clothing,  goods,  &c.,  for  the  Comanches  and  other  Reserve 
Indians,  with  which,  according  to  the  stipulations  of  the 
treaty  of  August  12,  1861,  they  were  at  an  early  day  to  be 
supplied.  None  of  this  money  has  been  used,  except  the 
small  sum  of  $60 ;  for  upon  consulting  with  General  Pike 
and  the  Superintendent  of  Indian  Affairs,  it  was  found  by 
me  that  the  articles  in  question,  should  they  be  purchased  at 
that  time,  could  not,  without  the  heaviest  expense  and  great- 
est difficulty,  be  wagoned  from  Fort  Smith  across  the  Indian 
Territory  to  the  Picserve  Agency,  in  the  w^inter,  (a  distance 
of  more  than  three  hundred  miles,  through  an  unsettled  coun- 
try,) as  forage  for  the  horses  for  the  entire  trip,  in  addition 
to  the  goods,  would  have  to  be  transported. 

The  sum  of  $93  was  paid,  in  November  last,  to  a  messen- 
ger, who  was  sent  the  preceding  month  to  General  Pike,  in 
the  Indi^wi  country,  with  dispatches  relating  to  Indian  Af- 
fairs. 

The  several  sums  of  $9*650,  $2,104  50,  and  $30,000 
were,  on  the  7th  December,  1861,  received  by  Elias  Rector, 
Superintendent — the  first  amount  to  be  used  in  paying  Chas. 
B.  Johnson  for  provisions  furnished  the  Comanches  and  other 
Reserve  Indians,  after  June  30,  1861,  according  to  a  ver- 
bal agreement  made  with  him  by  General  Pike,  during  the 
same  month,  and  in  paying  his  (General  Pike's)  escort  of 
mounted  Creeks  and  Seminoles  to  the  Reserve  District,  in 
August,  1861,  while  engaged  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties 


as  Commissioner ;  the  second  sum  to  be  used  in  paying 
Charles  B.  Johnson  the  balance  due  him  by  the  United  States 
Government,  prior  to  the  said  3')th  June,  for  feeding  Reserve 
Indians,  and  which  General  Pike,  at  the  time  of  making  the 
verbal  agreement  with  him,  agreed  to  pay  or  have  paid  him  ; 
the  third  sura  to  be  used  in  defraying  all  the  necessary  ex- 
penses of  the  super intendency  and  different  agencies,  and  the 
residue  to  be  a])plied  to  the  purchase  of  suitable  clothing, 
&;c..  for  the  Reserve  Indians. 

The  sum  of  three  thousand  dollars  was  placed,  in  Janu- 
ary of  the  present  year,  to  the  credit  of  Superintendent  Rec- 
tor, to  meet  the  expenses  incident  to  the  ratification,  by  cer- 
tain of  the  tribes,  of  their  treaties,  as  amended. 

These  sums,  amounting  in  the  aggregate  to  $90,367  57, 
constitute  the  amount  which  has  been  drawn  from  the  appro- 
priation of  §lO'i),0'V,)  aforesaid.  The  residue  of  that  appro- 
priation, now  subject  to  requisition,  is  $9,632  43. 

Immediately  upon  the  ratification  of  the  treaties  with  the 
amendments  by  Congress,  it  was  deemed  essential  to  have  in 
the  Indian  country  a  sufficient  supply  of  funds  to  comply 
with  the  stipulations  of  the  same,  whenever  the  amendments 
should  be  agreed  to  by  the  several  tribes,  and  also  to  meet 
such  immediate  and  pressing  expenses  of  the  Indian  service 
as  might  be  just  and  proper.  Accordingly,  for  these  pur- 
poses, an  act  was  passed  by  Congress,  in  December  last,  by 
which  $681,869  15  were  appropriated.  The  whole  of  this 
sum  was  at  once  drawn  from  the  Treasury,  and  transmitted 
to  the  Superintendent,  through  General  Pike,  with  such  in- 
structions in  regard  to  its  disbursement,  &c.,  as  the  nature 
of  the  case  required. 

During  General  Pike's  stay  in  the  Indian  country,  as  Com- 
missioner, he  virtually  assumed  the  responsibility  of  con- 
tinuing the  Superintendent,  Elias  Rector,  and  the  agents  of 
the  various  tribes,  with  which  he  entered  into  treaties,  in 
their  respective  offices.  These  last  were  John  Crawford, 
agent  for  the  Cherokees ;  Samuei  M.  Rutherford,  agent  for 
the  Semmoles;  Douglas  H.  Cooper,  agent  for  the  Choctaws 
and  Chickasaws  ;  William  H.  Garrett,  agent  for  the  Creeks; 
Matthew  Deeper,  agent  for  the  Wichitas,  Comanches  and 
other  Reserve  Indians ;  and  iVndrew  J.  Dorn,  a  citizen  of 
Missouri,  agent  for  the  Osages,  Quapaws,  &c.  ;  all  of  whom 
consented  to  act  in  such  capacity,  under  the  authority  of  the 
Confederate  States. 

The  information  furnished  this  Bureau  by  the  superinteu- 


dent  and  agents,  in  reference 'to  the  condition  of  the  Indian 
country,  is  not  so  full  and  explicit  as  could  be  desired  ;  but 
enoucrh  has  been  received  to  disclose  the  fact,  that  a  very 
large  majority  of  the  Indians  are  true  to  the  Government  of 
the  Confederate  States,  and  arc  as  orderly  in  their  conduct, 
and  as  obedient  to  the  requirements  of  the  law,  as  ever  be- 
fore. I  say  a  large  majority — for  disaffection  exists  among 
the  Cherokees,  Creeks  and  Seminoles  ;  and,  perhaps,  the 
small  bands  of  Osages,  Quapaws,  &c.,  who  live  upon  the  bor- 
ders of  Kansas,  within  easy  reach  of  the  machinations  and 
baneful  influence  of  the  enemy,  have  become  generally  dis- 
loyal. In  regard  to  this,  hoAvever,  nothing  is  certainly 
known,  as  no  information  from  the  Osage  agency  is  in  the 
possession  of  this  Bureau.  The  disaffection  among  the  Cher- 
okees seems  to  be  of  limited  extent,  and  among  the  Creeks 
and  Seminoles,  although  a  short  time  ago  it  had  taken  rather 
a  wide  range,  (having  reached  a  large  portion  of  both  tribes,) 
has  been  counteracted  in  a  great  degree,  it  is  hoped,  by  the 
defeat  of  Ho-poi-ith-li  Yo-ho-l;i,  and  the  arrival  of  General 
Pike  in  the  country. 

Within  the  four  great  tribes — the  Choctaws  and  Chicka- 
saws,  Creeks,  Seminoles  and  Cherokees — the  hostilities, 
pending  between  the  Confederate  and  the  Northern  States, 
have  interfered  with  agricultural  and  mechanical  pursuits, 
and  the  success  of  schools.  The  military  spirit  moving  cer- 
tain portions  of  these  people,  and  the  want  of  the  money 
which  has  heretofore  been  paid  them  by  the  old  United  States 
Government,  have  been  the  causes  of  this  derangement  in 
their  industrial  and  educational  operations.  Upon  the  rati- 
fication of  the  treaties,  as  amended,  this  want  of  money  will 
be  supplied  from  the  funds  now  in  the  possession  cf  the 
Superinten  ^ent,  and  placed  there  for  that  and  other  purposes. 

I  have  alluded,  above,  to  the  military  spirit  which  ani- 
mates these  people.  It  will  not,  perhaps,  be  improper  to 
state,  although  it  is  a  matter  which  does  not  pertain  particu- 
larly-to  the  concerns  of  this  Bureau,  that  they  have,  in  large 
numbers,  unhesitatingly  flocked  to  the  Confederate  flag,  for 
the  purpose  of  protecting  their  country  and  driving  the  in- 
vaders, with  their  renegade  Indian  allies,  from  its  soil. 

Your  attention  is  requested  to  the  reports  of  the  Agents 
of  these  tribes,  herewith  submitted. 

It  is  my  painful  duty  to  state  that  letters  from  Superin- 
tendent Rector  and  General  Pike,  of  recent  date,  have  been 
received,    announcing   the    decease    of    the    Agent  of    the 


Creeks,  Mr.   W.   II.   Garrett.  '  He  died   on    the  23d  day  of 
January  last. 

The  Wicliitas,  and  certain  other  bands  of  Indians  settled 
on  reserves,  near  the  Washita  mountains,  in  the  south-west- 
ern part  of  the  Indian  country,  deserve  a  somewhat  particu- 
lar notice.  The  district  upon  which  they  are  located  lies 
between  the  Red  river  and  the  Canadian,  and  the  98th  and 
10i)th  parallels  of  west  longitude,  and  was  leased,  by  the 
United  States  Government,  from  the  Choctaws  and  Chicka- 
saws,  by  the  treaty  of  185o,  in  order  to  place  on  it,  upon 
reserves,  bands  of  Indians  then  on  reserves  in  Texas,  and 
others  leading  a  nomadic  life  upon  the  prairies.  By  Article 
XI  of  the  treaty  made  with  the  Choctaws  and  Chickasaws, 
July  12th,  186f,  this  lease  was  renewed  to  the  Confederate 
States,  but  for  the  term  of  ninety-nine  years  only  from  the 
date  of  said  treaty. 

From  certain  causes,  the  failure  of  crops,  &c.,  joined  to 
the  ignorance,  and,  in  many  instances,  no  doubt,  the  un- 
thrif  tiness  of  these  Reserve  Indians,  they  have,  from  the 
time  of  their  settlement  upon  the  leased  district,  to  the  or- 
ganization of  the  Government  of  the  Confederate  States, 
always  been  dependent  upon  the  United  States  for  a  sup- 
port. To  protect  them  from  starvation.  General  Pike,  in 
June  last,  entered  into  a  verbal  agreement  with  Charles  B. 
Johnson,  to  feed  them,  after  the  3i)th  day  of  that  month, 
until  such  time  as  a  written  contract  could  be  made  with 
him  to  do  so  for  a  given  period,  and  at  so  much  per  ration. 
This  contract  was  subsequently  consummated,  and,  under  it, 
that  gentleman  has  continued  to  furnish  the  Reserve  Indians 
Avith  provisions  until  the  present  day.  It  will  expire  on  the 
16th  August  next,  having  been  made  for  one  year.  Refer- 
ence has  been  had  to  this  verbal  agreement  and  written  con- 
tract, in  the  account  before  given  of  the  expenditures,  under 
the  appropriation  act  of  May  21st,  1861. 

The  cost  of  the  AVichita  Agency  to  the  Confederate  States 
is  rather  a  heavy  one,  and  it  cannot,  perhaps,  be  materially 
reduced  for  some  years  to  come.  During  the  present  war, 
owing  to  the  unsettled  and  exposed  condition  of  the  Reserve 
District,  the  Indians  settled  therein  would  be  little  likely, 
even  were  they  more  industrious,  and  farther  advanced  than 
they  are  in  civilization,  to  do  much  toward  supporting  them- 
selves; and  at  its  close,  some  time  must  elapse  before  they. 
can  be  so  instructed  in  agricultural  and  mechanical  arts  as 
to  make  them  a  self-sustaining  people. 


But  it  must  be  recollected  that  the  remuneration  received 
by  the  Confederate  Government,  for  this  outlay  of  money, 
is  peace  on  the  frontier;  and  the  question  is  one  of  grave 
and  weighty  significance — estimating  upon  the  basis  of  mere 
dollars  and  cents,  without  taking  into  consideration  the  value 
of  the  lives  of  our  citizens — as  to  whether  it  would  not  be 
good  policy  to  expend  double  as  much  as  is  now  required  to. 
keep  these  Indians  peaceable  and  qu'et. 

For  further  and  more  specific  information  in  regard  to 
these  Indians,  I  invite  your  attention  to  extracts  from  a  let-, 
ter  of  General  Pike,  dated  iVugust  14th,  1861,  and  the  re- 
port of   Agent  Lceper. 

Among  certain  of  the  tribes,  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment has  resorted  to  tlie  most  desperate  means  to  engender 
feelings  of  hostility  and  disloyalty  to  the  Government  of  the 
Confederate  States.  Its  success,  in  this  respect,  has  by  no 
means  been  commensurate  with  its  endeavors,  as  is  proven 
by  what  has  been  already  stated. 

That  you.  may  understand  the  nature  of  .^^ome  of  the  ap- 
pliances used  by  that  Government  to  effect  the  object  above 
indicated,  I  respectfully  refer  you  to  the  letter  of  28th  Janu- 
ary last,  from  General  Pike,  and  the  accompanying  docu- 
ments. 

I  should  fall  far  short  of  the  execution  of  my  duty,  in 
making  this  report,  did  it  not  contain,  at  least,  some  general 
allusion  to  the  geographical  features  of  the  country  inhab- 
ited by  the  trrbes  who  have  thus  linked  their  fortune?  with 
thQse  of  the  Confederate  States. 

The  Indian  Territory  (not  including  the  Osage  country — 
its  extent  being  unknown — nor  the  8')0,()l)0  acres  belonging 
to  the  Cherokees,  which  lie  between  Missouri  and  Kansas,) 
embraces  an  area  of  82,073  square  miles — more  than  fifty- 
two  and  a  half  millions  of  acres,  to-wit : 

The  land  of  the  Cherokees,  Osages,  Quapaws,  Senecas, 
and  Senecas  imd  Shawnees,  38,105  square  miles,  or 
24,388,800  acres; 

That  of  the  Creeks  and  Seminolcs,  20,531  square  miles, 
or  13,140,000  acres; 

That  of  the  Reserve  Indians,  and  the  Choctaws  and 
Chickasaws,  23,437  square  miles,  or  15,000,000  acres; 

Total  82,073  square  miles,  or  52,528,800  acres. 

Its  population  consists  of  Cherokees,  23,0'M);  Osages, 
7,500;   Quapaws,  320;   Creeks,   13,500;   Seminoles,  2,500 ; 


10 

Reserve   Indians,    2,000;   Choctaws,    17,500;  and   Chicka- 
saws,  4,700 — making  an  aggregate  of  71,o2()  souls. 

This  Indian  country  is,  in  many  respects,  really  a  magni- 
ficent one.  It  is  one  of  the  brightest  and  fairest  spots  of 
the  Great  West.  By  the  hand  of  nature  it  has  been  blessed 
with  advantages  in  great  profusion,  and  of  the  highest  and 
rarest  character.  Diversified  by  mountains  filled  with  iron, 
coal  and  other  mineral  treasures,  and  broad  reaching  plains 
capable  of  grazing,  for  a  large  portion  of  the  year,  innu- 
raeral»lc  herds  of  cattle — with  the  Red  River  running  along 
its  southern  border,  the  Arkansas  River  almost  through  its 
centre,  and  their  tributaries  reticulating  its  entire  surface — 
possessed  of  a  climate  generally  mild  and  genial,  and  a  soil 
unsurpassed  for  depth  and  fertility,  adapted  to  the  growth 
of  cotton,  hemp  and  all  kinds  of  grain,  it  is  certainly  the 
equal  naturall}^  of  the  most  favored  lands  on  this  continent, 
and  only  needs  the  development  of  its  resources  to  become 
an  invaluable  adjunct  of  the  Confederate  fc^tates. 

While  speaking  of  the  Wichita  Agency,  I  overlooked  one 
point  to  which  it  is  proper  your  attention  should  be  directed. 
That  Agency  is  situated  beyond  the  limits  of  civilization, 
and  is  open  to  the  visits  of  dissolute  and  disorderly  whites, 
and  the  inroads  of  marauding  bands  of  Indians  from  the 
prairies.  In  view  of  these  things,  it  might,  perhaps,  be  well 
to  have  one  company  of  friendly  Indian  warriors  stationed 
at  that  point,  or  in  the  neighborhood,  to  co-operate  with  the 
Agent,  siiould  the  occasion  arise,  in  expelling  the  one  and 
in  protecting  the  Agency  from  the  incursions  of  the  other. 

Permit  me  also  to  suggest  that  the  old  laws,  regulating 
trade  and  intercourse  among  the  Indians,  ought  to  be  super- 
seded by  others.  A  new  series  of  regulations,  for  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  Bureau  and  Superintendency  of  Indian  Aflairs 
and  the  several  Agencies,  should  also  be  adopted.  These 
things,  in  my  humble  judgment,  should  be  done  at  as  early 
a  day  as  practicable. 

The  Indian  Intercourse  Laws,  as  they  now  stand,  and  the 
regulations  founded  on  them,  seem  to  have  been  adopted  by 
the  United  States  rather  for  the  government  of  bands  pos- 
sessing all  the  worst  traits  of  the  wildest  and  most  savage 
Arabs  of  the  desert,  than  for  a  people  between  whom  and  its 
citizens  there  were  symppvthies  in  common,  and  are  conse- 
quently altogether  unsuited  to  the  tribes,  at  present,  under 
the  dominion  of  the  Confederate  States — nearly  all  of  whom 
have  framed  for  themselves  free  institutions  and  laws  com- 


11 

paring  favorably  with  our  own,  and  have  made  no  little  pro- 
gress in  the  arts  of  civilization,  and  some  of  them  even  in 
those  of  refinement.  In  addition  to  this,  many  avenues  for 
corruption  have  thereby  been  left  open ;  and  through  them 
untold  sums  of  money  have  annually  been  squandered  for 
that  Government,  and  the  Indians  defrauded  out  of  much 
that  was  due  them.  A  reference  to  the  history  of  the  In- 
dian Department  for  the  last  few  years  will  demonstrate  this 
fact.  These  things,  under  the  Government  of  the  Confede- 
rate States,  should  be  remedied ;  and  it  can  only  be  effec- 
tually done  by  a  careful  revision  of  these  Intercourse  Laws 
and  Regulations,  and  by  the  acts  of  officials,  under  the  su- 
pervision of  this  Bureau,  being  subjected  to  a  most  rigid  and 
thorough  scrutiny. 

Just  in  this  connection  I  desire  most  respectfully  to  state 
that  a  visit  from  the  Commissioner  to  the  Superintendency 
and  Agencies  in  the  Indian  country,  at  least  once  a  year, 
would  be  followed,  no  doubt,  by  good  effects.  By  relying 
exclusively  upon  letters  and  reports,  as  was  the  general 
practice  under  the  United  States  Government,  he  can  never 
be  fully  informed  of  the  manner  in  which  the  affairs  of  these 
offices  are  conducted,  or  the  situation  and  wants  of  the  In- 
dians. His  actual  presence  in  the  country,  mingling  freely 
with  the  Indians,  talking  to  them  face  to  face,  enquiring 
into  their  necessities,  etc.,  would  furnish  them  additional 
and  strong  evidence  of  the  deep  interest  felt  by  this  Gov- 
ernment for  their  well  being  and  happiness,  and  its  lively 
sympathy  with  them  in  their  struggles  for  advancement. 

A  few  pages  back  it  was  stated  that  these  Indians  had 
taken  many  steps  in  the  upward  march  of  improvement,  and 
there  is  no  doubt  that  they,  or  at  least  the  larger  portion 
of  them,  will,  ere  long,  through  the  influence  of  the  liberal 
and  enlightened  policy  inaugurated  in  their  behalf,  attain  a 
position  which  will,  in  the  eyes  of  Christendom,  reflect  last- 
ing honor  both  upon  the  Government  of  the  Confederate 
States  and  our  people. 

It  is  a  mistaken  idea  to  suppose  that  Indians  are  not  sus- 
ceptible of  a  high  degree  of  cultivation.  They  are  creatures 
of  generous  impulses,  and  are  gifted  with  many  of  the  finer 
feelings  and  susceptibilities  of  the  human  heart,  joined  v/ith 
great  determination,  and  considerable  intellectual  pov/^er. 
This  is  admitted  by  all  who  have  closely  investigated  Indian 
character .;  and  when,  in  connection  with  these  facts,  we  look 
to  what  has  been  accomplished,   almost  without  assistance, 


by  the  four  great  tribes  under  the  control  of  our  Govern- 
ment, we  are  forced  to  acknowledge  they  are  fully  capable 
of  reaching  the  elevation  here  claimed  for  them,  and,  it  may 
be,  even  a  much  greater  one. 
I  have  the  honor  to  be, 

Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant. 

S.  S.  SCOTT, 
Acfg  Corner  of  Indian  Affairs. 

Hon.  J.  P.  Benjamin, 

Secretary  of  War. 


LIST 
Of  Documents  Accompanying  the  Report  of  the  Acting  Com- 
missioner of  Indian  Affairs,  (kited  March  8,  1862. 

SUPERINTENDENCY. 

No.  1. — Letter  of  E.  Rector,  Superintendent. 

No.  2. — Report  of  J.  Crawford,  Agent  for  the  Cherokees, 

No.  3.— Letter  of  W.  H.  Garrett,  Agent  for  the  Creeks. 

No.  4.— Report  of  S.  M.  Rutherford,  Agent  for  the  Sem- 
inoles. 

No.  5. — Letter  of  Col.  D.  H.  Cooper,  Agent  for  the  Choc- 
taws  and  Chickasaws. 

No.  6. — Report  of  M.  Leeper,  Agent  for  the  Wichitas 
and  other  Reserve  Indians. 

Miscellaneous. 

No.  7. — Extracts  from  letter  of  Com'r  A.  Pike,  dated 
August  14,  1861. 

No.  8.— Letter  of  Gen.  A.  Pike,  dated  Dec.  30,  1861. 

No.  9,  a. — Letter  of  Gen.  Pike,  dated  Jan.  28,  1862. 

No.  10,  6._Copj  of  Letter  of  E.  H.  Carricth,  U.  S.  Com'r 
to  Ho-poi-ith-li  Yo-ho-la,  &c.,  dated  Sept.  10,  1861. 

No.  11,  c— Copy  of  letter  of  E.  H.  Carruth,  U.  S.  Com'r 
to  Tus-a-quash,  Chief  of  the  Wichitas,  dated  Sept.  11,  1861. 

No.  12,  (Z.— Copy  of  letter  of  E.  H.  Carruth,  U.  S.  Com- 
missioner to  the  Choctaws  and  Chickasaws,  dated  September 
11,  1861. 

No.  13,  e. — Copy  of  letter  of  certain  of  the  headmen  of 
the  Shawnees  to  Ho-poi-ith-li  Yo-ho-la,  dated  September 
2  1,  1861, 


[NO.  L] 

Office  Superintendent  Indian  Affairs, 
Fort  Smith,  Feb'y  1,  1862. 

Sir  :  I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  herewith  the  reports  of 
Agefits,  Leeper,  Cooper,  Rutherford  and  Crawford.  No  re- 
port has  been  received  from  Agent  Dorn. 

Business  of  importance  requires  me  to  leave  here  to-day 
for  Fort  Gibson  and  the  Creek  x\gency.  It  is  important  for 
me  to  take  charge  of  the  public  property  at  the  agency, 
which  I  shall  do  on  my  arrival  there.  I  will  turn  the  same 
over  to  n.  P.  Pulliam,  whom  I  have  appointed  agent  to  act 
until  a  permanent  appointment  is  made.  I  have  an  appoint- 
ment to  meet  a  delegation  of  Comanches  and  Kiawas  at  Fort 
Gibson,  where  I  expect  General  Pike  and  myself  will  eifect 
treaties  with  them.  I  have  sent  up  a  lot  of  goods  to  make 
presents  to  them,  and  to  the  wild  bands  with  whom  General 
Pike  made  treaties  last  fall,  and  to  whom  he  promised  goods. 
After  meeting  these  delegations,  and  ascertaining  what  can 
be  effected  with  them,  I  wdll  make  out  and  forward  to  you  a 
report  of  Indian  matters  generally  in- this  superintendency, 
which  I  hope  will  reach  you  in  time  to  be  of  service  to  the 
Department. 

I  cannot,  until  after  I  meet  those  Indians  and  ascertain 
the  condition  of  the  Creek  Agency,  make  a  full  and  satis- 
factory report. 

In  regard  to  Agent  Crawford's  report,  I  must  here  state, 
that  from  the  best  information  I  can  obtain  of  the  condition 
of  affairs  among  the  Cherokces,  I  cannot  concur  with  him. 
But  I  will  inform  myself  fully  in  this  regard,  during  my 
present  visit  among  them,  and  will  furnish  my  views  fully 
in  my  report. 

Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

E.  RECTOR, 
Superintendent  Indian  Affairs^ 

S.   S.   Scott,  Esq., 

Acting  ComW  of  Ind.  Affairs,  Richmond,  Va. 


16 


[NO.  II.] 

Cherokee  Agency,  C.   N.,  ^ 
January  22,    1862.       S 

Sir  :  According  to  instruction,  I  herewith  have  the  honor 
to  submit  iny  first  report,  as  Confederate  States'  Agent  for 
the  Cherokees.  This  must  necessarily  be  brief;  but  I  hope 
to  present  a  sufficiently  clear  and  satisfactory  statement  of 
the  condition  and  prospects  of  this  people. 

The  health  of  the  nation  is  good.  There  is  also  ample 
amount  of  food  for  all  wants.  'J'he  distractions  incident  to 
war  may  lessen  the  avails  of  next  crop,  but  the  usual  breadth 
of  land  is  this  fall  sown  in  wheat;  and,  judging  from  wdiat 
I  have  seen,  the  Cherokees  are  making  preparations  for 
raising  enough  corn  and  meat  to  supply  this  year's  demand. 
They  know  they  cannot  depend  for  provisions  upon  any 
other  quarter,  and,  therefore,  will  make  greater  exertion 
than  ever  for  a  good  crop.  And  possessing  excedingly  fer- 
tile land,  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  year  '62  will  be  bountiful 
in  harvest.  Many  flocks  of  cattle  and  sheep  are  owned  in 
this  nation,  wheels  and  looms  are  every  where  found,  and 
the  Cherokees  are  already  celebrated  for  their  beautiful  and 
variegated  jeans  and  linseys.  The  troubles  of  the  blockade 
"will  stimulate  the  wool  and  cotton  growers,  the  spinners  and 
w^eavers,  and  the  looms  will  turn  out  as  much  cloth  as  more 
civilized  regions. 

There  is  very  little  money  in  the  Cherokee  country.  I 
have  heard,  however,  of  no  extraordinary  distress  resulting 
therefrom.  No  money  having  as  yet  come  to  my  hands,  as 
an  officer,  I  have  no  report  to  make ;  but  respectfully  urge 
the  remittance  of  funds  as  early  as  practicable,  for  the  sup- 
port of  not  only  the  government  of  the  Cherokees,  but  for 
this  agency,  now  become  more  important  and  expensive  than 
ever. 

The  public  schools — tw^o  seminaries — one  male,  one  fe- 
male, with  thirty-two  district  schools ;  for  lack  of  means, 
proceeds  of  funded  stocks,  heretofore  annually  paid  them, 
are  temporarily  suspended.  I  cannot  too  strongly  urge  the 
immediate  provision  of  funds  to  cause  these  schools  to  be 
re-opened.  They  were  always  well  attended,  and  were 
doing  vast  good.  Some  private  schools  are  quietly  going 
on  as  though  no  war  racked  the  land. 

The   civil  government  of  the  nation  is,   so  far,  scarcely 


17 

disturbed.  The  authority  of  hiw  still  holds  its  wonted  sway, 
while  the  internal  political  relations  of  the  people  remain 
unchanged.     Life  and  property  are  as  safe  as  heretofore. 

The  Cherokees  are  slaveholders.  They  own  great  num- 
bers of  slaves  and  cotton  land.  Near  the  total  of  the  intel- 
ligent and  wealtny  portion  of  this  people  are  as  strongly 
pro-slavery  as  South  Carolina.  Their  government  of  slaves 
is  so  good,  that  one  rarely  hears  of  a  runaway.  True,  they 
might  be  much  more  profitably  worked,  and  bring  greater 
income  to  their  masters ;  but  poorly  worked,  as  they  are, 
with  the  temptation  of  Kansas  so  close  and  constantly  by, 
the  few  Cherokees,  who  run  away,  but  add  their  mite  to  the 
great  fact,  that  the  slaves  of  the  South  are  attached  to  their 
masters,  homes,  and  lot. 

There  is,  however,  unfortunately,  an  element  of  anti- 
slavery  amid  the  Cherokee  ''  full  bloods,"  strong  enough, 
too,  to  have  produced  all  the  commotion,  which  for  years 
has  torn  the  tribe  into  hostile  factions,  and  powerful  to 
breed  great  present  and  future  mischief.  The  malign  in- 
fluences, by  certain  persons  pretending  to  be  ministers  of 
the  gospel  and  civilization,,  insidiously  for  years  past 
thrown  around  and  about  the  full  bloods,  have  heretofore 
begotten  striie  between  them,  and  the  mixed  bloods,  or  pro- 
slavery  party  ;  shed  the  blood  of  good  and  true  men  ;  and 
have  recently  culminated  in  the  organization  of  secret  socie- 
ties, open  desertion  from  the  ranks  of  one  Cherokee  regi- 
ment to  the  enemy,  and  avowed  affection  for  the  North. 
That  these  misguided  men,  and  their  malignant  men,  should 
be  properly  and  rigidly  dealt  with,  for  the  safety  and  wel- 
fare of  the  nation  at  large,  I  have  no  hesitation  in  advising ; 
nevertheless,  I  cannot  think  their  numbers  and  power  to  be 
so  great  and  strong  as  is  current  among  newsmongers.  I 
do  believe  that  the  total  of  the  Cherokees,  those  who  are 
unmistakably  foes  to  the  South,  and  those  who  secretly 
favor  the  North,  amount  to  no  more  than  five  hundred  men, 
and  influences  are  now  at  work,  chiefly  the  late  dispersion 
of  the  Ho-poi-ith-li  Yo-ho-la  rabble,  which  I  doubt  not  will 
decrease  both  the  power  and  the  mischief  of  the  Cherokee 
anti-slavery  party.  I  look  soon  to  see  this  people  once 
more  united. 

The  Cherokees  number  about  20,00!)  souls.  I  cannot 
tell  the  relative  population  of  male  and  female.  They 
could  put  into  the  field  say  3,000  warriors,  that  is,  were 
they  united.      One  regiment,  Col.   Stand  Watie's,  recently 


18 

under  the  orders  of  Gen.  McCulloch,  and  a  portion  of  which 
has  been  in  active  service  since  the  first  of  Julj  last,  now 
numbers  1,000  men,  and  is  daily  increasing.  How  Col. 
Watie's  regiment  has  distinguished  itself  in  the  ''  neutral 
land,"  in  destroying  the  Ho-poi-ith-li  Yo-ho-la  infection,  in 
demonstrating  to  the  world  the  power  and  willingness  of 
the  Cherokees  to  maintain  their  fealty  with  the  Confederate 
States,  and  their  determination  to  die  by  the  principles 
which  created  that  Confederation,  is  known  to  history  and 
you.  One  other  regiment.  Col.  Drew's,  is  now  re-organ- 
izing ;  and  I  confidently  trust  that,  ere  long,  it  too  will 
have  a  full  complement  of  men  ready  to  do  good  work 
in  the  cause  of  Southern  and  Cherokee  rights.  The  leaders 
of  the  nation,  with  the  Colonels  and  Captains  of  this  re- 
giment, seem  determined  that  its  name  shall  be  redeemed, 
and  that  all  the  stipulations  of  the  late  treaty  with 
the  Confederate  States  shall  be  faithftilly  maintained  and 
carried  out.  I  hope  early  to  see  this  regiment  re-organ- 
ized, and  that  when  it  is  done,  all  the  disaffected  Cherokees 
shall  be  driven  from  the  land,  the  Hydra  of  abolition  and 
secret  societies  be  crushed,  and  ere  long  the  desired  unity 
of  the  Cherokees  be  restored. 

With  the  changes  wrought  by  the  late  treaty  made  by 
Gen.  Pike,  and  the  history  and  results  of  the  same,  you  are 
already  familiar,  and  official  reports  of  the  same  being  at 
Richmond,  there  is  no  need  here  for  me  to  say  a  word. 

For  further  information  respecting  the  enemy's  possession 
of  the  '^  neutral  land,"  the  military  operations  of  the  regi- 
ments, the  prospects  of  their  strength  and  their  condition,  I 
refer  you  to  the  officers  of  the  same,  now  the  sources  from 
which  military  information  is  derived;  a  full  report  of  this 
would  be  alike  interesting  and  valuable,  but  I  am  not  able 
to  give  it. 

Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

JOHN  CRAWFORD, 
C.  S.  Agent  Cherokees. 

Major  Eli.\s  Rector,  Superintend^entj  fyc. 

Fcrt  Smith,  Ark. 


19 


[NO,   III.] 

Creek  Agency,  C.  N.  ) 

Dec.  16th,  1861.      S 

Sir  :  I  liaA^e  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your 
letter  of  the  2d  ultimo,  requiring  certain  information  from 
me  in  regard  to  the  numbers  of  the  Creek  Indians,  and  their 
relations  or  feelings  towards  the  Confederate  States,  &c. 

Owing  to  the  great  irregularity  of  the  mails,  I  did  not  re- 
ceive your  communici^tion  as  soon  a  j  I  ought. 

The  difficulty  at  the  time  I  received  your  letter  in 
regard  to  answering  it,  properly  caused  me  to  delay  a  few 
days,  so  that  I  miglit  answer  it  definitely. 

Incidental  to  the  confusion  here,  I  could  not  state  to  you 
who  were  reliable,  and  who  were  not,  because  I  did  not  know 
myself,  and  believing  that  a  battle  would  be  fought  in  a  few 
days,  when  every  one  would  have  to  show  his  hand,  I  thought 
I  could  then  give  you  more  reliable  information.  The  battle 
has  been  fought,  and  from  the  valor  and  fidelity  of  the 
Creeks  engaged  therein,  I  can  give  you  reliable  information. 

The  Creeks  number  in  all  (14,630)  fourteen  thousand,  six 
hundred  and  thirty,  a  portion  of  whom  reside  in  the  States 
of  Alabama,  Texas  and  Missouri,  leaving  about  (13,i)()i]) 
thirteen  thousand  within  the  limits  of  the  Creek  nation. 
From  the  best  information  I  can  get  there  are  among  the 
lower  Creeks  (1650)  sixteen  hundred  and  fifty  warriors, 
(375)  three  hundred  and  seventy-five  of  these  are  unfriendly. 

Among  the  upper  Creeks  there  are  (160\))  sixteen  hun- 
dred warriors,  only  (400)  four  hundred  of  whom  are  fi'iend-x 
ly.  To  sum  up  the  whole  matter  there  are  (1675)  sixteen 
hundred  and  seventy-five  *  Creek  warriors  friendly,  and 
(1575)  fifteen  hundred  and  seventy  five  unfriendly.  Of 
those  friendly,  there  are  in  the  service  of  the  Confederate- 
States  (1325)  thirteen  hundred  and  twenty-five.  One  regi- 
ment, commanded  by  Col.  Daniel  N.  Mcintosh,  numbering 
(850)  eight  hundred  and  fifty  men ;  a  battalion  commanded 
by  Col.  Chitty  Mcintosh,  numbering  (400)  four  hundred, 
and  an  independent  company,  commanded  by  Capt.  James 
M.  C.  Smith,  numbering  (75)  seventy-five  men,  all  in  ser- 
vice, and  armed,  with  a  few  exceptions,  and  I  think,  from 
present  indications,  are  willing  to  do  service  wherever  or- 
dered, and  circumstances  justify  it. 

The  regiment,  battalion  and  company  were  all   mustered 


2U 

into  service  for  twelvemonths,  this  composing  nearly  all  the 
friendly  -warriors  in  the  nation. 

I  cannot  answer  you  with  regard  to  the  number  who  are 
willing  to  serve  during  the  w^ar.  My  opinion  is,  though, 
that  the  number  now  in  service,  and  perhaps  more,  are  wil- 
ling to  remain  in  the  service  of  the  Confederate  States  as 
long  as  needed. 

The  hostile  CroL'ks  are  headed  by  llo-poi-ith-li  Yo-ho-la, 
who  has  engaged  in  his  cause  portions  of  several  tribes,  viz  :  a 
portion  of  the  Seminoles,  Kickapoos,  Shawnees,  Delawares, 
Kichais,  Comanches  and  Cherokees,  (400)  four  hundred  of 
whom  deserted  before  the  recent  battle  from  Col.  John  Drew's 
Regiment,  Cherokee  Volunteers,  and  joined  Ho-poi-ith-li 
Yo-ho-la,  who  is  in  communication  with  the  federal  forces  in 
Kansas,  and  has  received  guns  and  ammunition  from  them. 
His  force  is  estimated  at  from  (2500)  twenty-five  hundred  to 
(3,000)  three  thousand. 

I  may  be  mistaken  in  regard  to  the  number  of  friendly 
and  hostile  Creeks,  but  I  think  I  am  not — it  is  correct  from 
the  best  information  I  can  get,  and  from  my  own  knowledge 
of  the  facts. 

It  will  afford  me  much  pleasure  to  communicate  to  you,  at 
any  time,  anything  of  importance  to  the  Confederate  States. 
Very  respectfully. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

W.  H.  GARRETT, 
C,  S.  Agent  for  Creeks. 

Hon.  David  Hubbard, 
Com'r  Ind.   Affairs, 
Richmond,  Va. 


21 


[NO.  IV.] 

Fort  Smith,   Ark.,  Jan.    14th,    1862. 

Sir  :  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your 
letter,  under  date  of  the  9th  instant,  directing  me  to  make 
a  ''full  and  detailed  report  of  the  true  condition  of  aftairs 
in  (your)  my  Agency."  There  has  not  been  any  materiS 
change  of  aftairs  of  my  Agency  since  my  report  to  you  of 
the  27th  ultimo,  nor  in  the  condition  of  the  Seminole  peo- 
ple, except  what  has  been  caused  by  the  recent  battle  be- 
tween the  Confederate  forces,  under  Col.  Mcintosh,  and 
those  of  Ilo-poi-ith-li  Yo-ho-la,  in  which  engagement  the 
Confederate  forces  were  victorious,  killing  some  200  of  the 
enemy  and  taking  some  eighty  or  more  Indians  and  negroes 
prisoners,  together  with  quite  a  number  of  horses  and 
wagons.  Since  this  battle,  I  learn  that  many  of  the  Creeks, 
and  some  of  the  Seminoles,  have  made  application  to  Col. 
Cooper  for  permission  to  return  to  their  homes.  Should  the 
treaties,  made  by  General  Pike  with  the  dift'erent  tribes  of 
Indians,  be  speedily  ratified  by  the  Southern  Confederacy ; 
and  the  monies  provided  to  be  paid  them,  under  the  provi- 
sions, be  received  for  disbursement,  it  would,  as  I  believe, 
be  the  means  of  brin^i-inf::  the  existinfi:  difficulties  with  the 
Indians  to  a  speedy  close.  Having  heretofore  reported 
somewhat  in  detail,  in  each  of  my  reports,  I  cannot  better 
or  more  fully  comply  with  your  request  than  by  giving 
copies,  which  are  here  inserted,  and  request  that  they  may 
be  considered  and  taken  as  a  part  of  this  report. 


Fort  Smith,  Ark.,  Nov.  Kith,  1861. 

Sir:  In  accordance  with  the  regulations  of  the  Indian 
Department,  under  the  old  or  United  States  Government, 
the  diff'ercnt  Indian  Agents  were  required  to  make  annual 
reports,  concerning  the  condition  of  the  tribe  or  tribes  over 
-which  they  had  jurisdiction;  and  presuming  that  the  same 
■course  will  be  required  of  Agents  under  the  Confederate 
Government,  I  will  briefly  state  the  most  important  cir- 
cumstances that  exist'at  the  present  time.  I  left  this  place 
for  the  Seminole  Agency,  on  the  2nd  of  October  last,  and, 
'On  reaching  the  Creek  country,  found  the  whole  country  in 


9.2 


a  state  of  the  most  intense  excitement — so  much  so,  that  a 
large  number  of  Creeks  had  abandoned  their  homes,  and 
eitlier  fled  to  the  woods  or  joined  themselves  to  Ilo-poi-ith-li 
Yo-ho-la,  (or  Gouge,)  an  ohl  and  influential  man,  belonging 
to  the  upper  Creeks,  who  had  opposed  the  raising  of  men  for 
military  purposes  in  the  Indian  country.  I  also  found,  on 
my  arrival  at  the  Seminole  Agency,  that  they  were  pursuing 
the  same  course  the  Creeks  had  done;  and,  in  two  days, 
tkere  was  not  an  Indian  to  be  found  in  the  whole  Seminole 
country  who  had  not  removed  his  fiimily,  either  into  the 
Choctaw  Nation  or  joined  themselves  to  old  Gouge.  This 
state  of  things  continued  for  about  ten  days,  when  Colonel 
Cooper  arrived,  with  his  Choctaw  volunteers  and  the  Creek 
regiment.  This  caused  the  Indians  thus  assembled  to  dis- 
perse, or  measurably  so,  and  it  was  thought  that  peace  and 
quiet  would  once  more  prevail  throughout  both  Nations. 
But  after  the  dispersion  of  the  Indians,  and  Avhen  a  day  for 
a  council  to  settle  all  difficulties  had  arrived.  Gouge  was  not 
to  be  found;  nor  had  they,  at  the  last  advices — say  the  5th 
instant — heard  anything  of  his  whereabouts,  or  what  his  in- 
tentions were ;  but  the  opinion  was,  that  he  had  fallen  back, 
with  a  few  followers,  with  a  view  of  joining  an  army  from 
Kansas,  that  was  supposed  to  be  making  a  descent  upon  the 
northern  frontier  of  the  Indian  country,  which  supposition, 
I  think,  is  well  founded,  from  all  I  have  been  able  to  learn 
from  the  various  reports.  Great  excitement  exists  in  the 
Choctaw,  Chickasaw  and  Cherokee  Nations,  in  regard  to  the 
above-mentioned  difficulties;  and  troops  are  being  rapidly 
raised  in  the  Indian  country  to  support  Col.  Cooper,  who,  I 
learn,  commands  the  Indian  Department.  Leaving  out  of 
view  the  excitement  caused  by  the  disaff'ection  of  old  Gouge, 
and  the  consequences  growing  out  of  it,  the  condition  of  the 
Indians  is,  or  would  be,  more  prosperous  than  at  any  period 
for  the  last  three  or  four  years.  Crops  of  every  kind  have 
been  abundant,  and  the  health  generally  good.  It  is  true- 
that  many  articles  of  merchandize  are  scarce,  but  this  in- 
convenience is  not  complained  of  by  the  Indians,  with  a  few 
exceptions. 

In  making  this  communication,  I  should  fail  in  doing  jus- 
tice, were  I  to  omit  giving  Jumper,  Cloud,  Ilolatah  Ficsico, 
and  Short-Bud,  merited  praise  for  their  steadfast  and  deter- 
mined disposition,  as  evinced  in  the  present  excitement. 
They  all  said  that  they  had  made  a  treaty  with  Gen.  Pike, 
and   promised    to  raise   traops   for  the  protection  of  their 


country,  and  that  they  intended  to  perform,  on  their  part, 
what  they  had  promised,  even  if  all  their  men  should  refuse 
to  co-operate  with  them.  I  take  great  pleasure  in  recom- 
mending them  to  your  favorable  notice 

The  Indians  are  looking  forward  with  great  anxiety  for 
the  period  to  arrive  when  they  are  to  receive  certain  monies, 
under  the  provisions  of  the  treaty  made  with  Gen.  Pike,  and 
in  which  I  hope  they  will  not  be  disappointed.  I  have  here- 
with prepared  an  estimate  of  the  funds  due  the  Seminoles 
under  treaties  with  the  United  States,  which  are  embraced 
in  the  treaty  of  August  last,  with  other  funds  therein  spe- 
cified. But,  having  no  copy  of  that  treaty,  I  am  unable  to 
specify,  and  will  only  refer  to,  the  amounts  due  from  the 
United  States,  at  the  time  of  signing  the  treaty  of  August, 
18G1.  I  am,  very  respectfully. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed.)  S.  M.  RUTHERFORD, 

C.  S.  Agint  for  Seminoles. 

Maj.  E.  Rector, 

Supt.  Ind.  Affairs, 

Fort  Smith,  Ark. 


Fort  Smith,   Ark.,  } 
November  25th,  1861.       ] 

Sir  :  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your 
letter  of  the  4th  inst.,  requesting  as  "  full  and  correct  in- 
formation as  practicable,"  in  regard  to  the  disposition  and 
condition  of  the  Seminole  Tribe  of  Indians  ;  their  number ; 
the  number  of  warriors  ;  what  portion  of  them  are  unfriend- 
ly, and  who  are  their  leaders,  etc.  The  number  of  Semi- 
noles registered  for  payment  last  year  was  2,263  :  of  that 
number  there  are  about  ooO  effective  warriors.  Three- 
fourths  of  that  number  proved  unfaithful  during  the  late  ex- 
citement, in  the  Creek  Nation,  in  consequence  of  the  disaf- 
fection of  Ho-poi-ith-li  Yo-ho-la,  or  (Gouge),  as  he  is  gene- 
rally called.  They  were  headed  by  the  following  Chiefs  of 
Bands,  to-wit :  Parscofer,  liallee  Tustannuggee,  Nalcubbuc 
Tustannuggee,  Emarthla,  and  one  or  two  others,  of  less 
note,  among  the  Indians.  Bat  I  am  pleased  to  be  able  to 
state  that,  with  few  exceptions,  they  have  abandoned  Ho- 
poi-ith-li  Yo-ho-la,  and  joined  their  Chief,  Jumper,  who  has 
proved  himself  a  warm   and  steadfast  friend   to   the  South 


24 

throughout  this  excitement.  The  surest  and  most  certain 
means  to  counteract  any  bad  feeling  or  disaffection  among 
the  Indians,  will  be  to  observe  with  strict  punctuality  the 
provisions  of  the  treaty  made  with  them  by  General  Pike. 
The  whole  of  the  Seminoles  may,  at  the  present  time,  be 
regarded,  with  a  few  exceptions,  as  true  to  the  Confederate 
States.  I  do  not  think  the  Seminoles  will  be  willing  to  do 
military  service  outside  the  Indian  country,  nor,  do  I  be- 
lieve they  will  volunteer  for  a  longer  period  than  one  year. 
Of  the  550  warriors,  I  tliink  S'){)  can  be  very  well  armed. 
The  Seminoles  have  had  two  companies  in  the  service  of  the 
Confederate  States,  numbering  together  149  men,  since  the 
last  of  September.  And  on  the  4th  inst.,  three  other  com- 
panies were  being  organized,  with  a  view  of  joining  Colonel 
Cooper,  now  in  the  command  of  the  Indian  Department. 
They  will  be  commanded  by  John  Jumper,  Principal  Chief 
of  the  Nation.  I  cannot  too  strongly  recommend  to  the 
consideration  of  the  Indian  Department,  the  patriotic  and 
firm  stand  taken  and  maintained  by  Jumper,  Fos-atchee-cho- 
co-ni,  or  Short  Bud,  George  Cloud  and  Ilo-la-tah  Ficsico, 
during  the  whole  time  of  the  Ho-poi-ith-li  Yo-ho  la  excite- 
ment. They  are  deserving  of  the  confidence  and  fostering 
care  of  the  Confederate  States.  The  above,  with  my  report 
to  the  Superintendent,  (which  will  be  laid  before  the  Depart- 
ment by  him),  embraces  the  condition  of  the  Indians,  and 
the  information  required  by  your  letter  of  the  4th  inst. 
I  am,  very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed.)  S.  M.  RUTHERFORD, 

C.  S.  Agent  for  Seminoles. 

Hon.  David  Hubbard, 

Commissioner  Lid.  Affairs, 

Richmond,  Va. 


FcRT  Smith,  Ark.,  Bee.  27,  1861. 

Sir  :  Owing  to  the  continued  excitement  in  the  Creek 
-and  Seminole  nations,  and  the  dangers  necessarily  to  be  en- 
countered by  persons  either  residing  in  or  traveling  through 
the  Indian  country,  I  have  been  prevented  from  returning 
to  the  agency  as  early  as  I  intended.  Taking  into  consid- 
eration all  the  circumstances  of  the  case,  I  deemed  it  best 
and  most  prudent  to  await  your  return  from  Richmond,  and 
submit  a  report  of  the  case  to  you.     When  I  left  the  agency, 


2o 

early  in  November,  there  seemed  to  be  an  unity  of  opinion 
and  general  profession  of  loyalty  to  the  Southern  Confede- 
racy;  but  since  there  have  been  much  disaffection  and  in- 
crease of  excitement.  The  consequence  has  been  that  some 
of  the  traders  have  left  the  Upper  Creek  country,  barely 
escaping  with  life,  and  others  are,  as  I  learn,  preparing  to 
leave.  Since  my  departure  from  the  agency,  there  have 
been  two  engagements  between  the  Confederate  forces,  un- 
der command  of  Col.  Cooper,  and  the  disaffected  Indians, 
followers  of  Ilo-poi-ith-li  Yo-ho-la.  In  both  engagements 
Col  Cooper  Avas  victorious  This,  however,  has  only  in- 
creased the  vindictivcness  of  Ilo-poi-ith-li  Yo-ho-la's  party, 
and  magnified  the  dangers  attendant  on  either  traveling 
through  or  residing  in  the  nation.  My  agency  is,  as  you 
know,  situated  two  hundred  miles  west  of  this  place ;  and 
being  totally  unprotected  and  exposed  to  dopredatioa^,  it  is 
very  insecure.  Parscofer  and  others,  as  stated  in  my  re- 
port to  the  department,  as  heading  the  disaffecte  I  party, 
were  leaders  in  the  recent  battles  under  Ilo-poi-ith-li  Yo-ho-la. 
But  I  am  pleased  to  be  able  to  state  that  John  Jumper, 
Short  Bud,  Cloud,  and  Ho-la-hah  Ficsico  were  found  with 
Col.  Cooper,  doing  their  duty  as  faithful  and  loyal  allies. 
It  will  probably  not  bo  a  great  while  before  the  excitement 
will  subside,  rendering  traveling  and  residence  there  more 
secure.  When  you  deem  it  nec:ssary  and  safe  for  me  to 
return,  I  will  be  ready.  I  await  your  orders  on  the  sub- 
ject. 

I  am,  very  respectfully. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

(Signed.)  S.  M.  RUTHERFORD, 

C.  S.  Agent  for  Smmioles. 

Major  E.  Rector, 

Siip't  Inlian  Affairs^  Fort  S:>  ith,  Aik. 


I  leave  for  my  agency  in  a  few  days,  by  way  of  Col. 
Cooper's  headquarters,  where  I  shall  make  a  requisition  for 
an  escort,  believing  it  to  be  too  hazardous  to  attempt  it 
without  sufficient  protection. 

I  am,  very  respectfully. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

S.  M.  RUTHERFOR  \ 
C.  S.  Agent  for  Seminoles. 
Major  E.  Rector, 

Sup'^t  Indian  Affairs,  Fort  Smith,  Ark. 


26 


[No.  Y.] 

Fort  GiBSo>f,  C.  N.,  January  28,  1862. 

Sir  :  I  have  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  your  letter 
dated  9th  January,  which  reached  me  three  days  since. 
Owing  to  sickness,  I  have  b:en  unable  to  attend  to  the  order 
therein  contained,  viz:  *' to  make  a  full  and  detailed  report 
of  your  (m}^)  office,  and  the  Indians  under  your  (my) 
charge." 

Being  absent  from  the  Choctaw  and  Chickasaw  agency, 
under  orders  from  Brigadier-General  Pike,  as  military  com- 
mandant of  the  Indian  department,  and,  at  present,  not 
having  access  to  the  necessary  papers,  it  is  impossible,  at 
this  time,  to  make  a  detailed  report  of  my  office ;  but  it 
shall  be  done  as  soon  as  the  arrival  of  Brigadier-General 
Pike  will  enable  me  to  be  absent  from  the  headquarters  of 
the  Indian  department. 

The  condition  of  the  Choctaws  and  Chickasaws,  so  far  as 
their  relations  to  the  Southern  Confederacy  are  concerned, 
is  entirely  satisfactory. 

The  Choctaws  and  Chickasaws  now  have  a  regiment. 
The  Choctaws  a  battalion,  consisting  of  seven  companies, 
in  the  service  of  the  Confederate  States,  and  the  Chicka- 
saws a  separate  battalion  of  five  companies. 

The  great  mass  of  the  Choctaws  and  Chickasaws  are  en- 
tirely satisfied  with  the  treaties  lately  entered  into  with 
the  Southern  Confederacy,  and  will,  no  doubt,  ratify  the 
amendments  proposed  by  the  Congress  of  the  Confederate 
States.  The  only  fear  entertaineel  by  myself  in  regard  to 
them  is,  that  too  large  a  portion  of  the  population  is  dis- 
posed to  enter  the  military  service,  thus  depriving  agricul- 
ture of  necessary  laborers.  The  schools,  too,  under  the 
derangement  of  affairs  consequent  upon  a  change  of  relations 
with  tlie  United  States  to  tlie  Confederate  States,  have  been 
suspended,  but  will,  no  doubt,  bo  again  renewed  under  the 
new  treaty  arrangements. 

It  may  be  well  to  state  that  the  population  of  the  Choc- 
taw country  is  about  15,0;)0,  and  that  of  the  Chickasaws 
5,000,  all  living  under  written  constitutions  and  laws. 
These  comprise  the  "Indians  under  my  charge." 

My  accounts  brought  forward  from  those  rendered  the 


27 

old  government,  will  be  forwarded  and  settlement  made  as 
soon  as  practicable,  under  the  new  regime. 
I  am,  sir,  very  respectfoll}^, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

DOUGLAS  H.  COOPER, 
Colonel  C.  S.  A.  and  Tridian  Agent. 
Hon.  EiJAS  Rector, 

Sup^t  Indian  Affairs,  Fort  Smith,  Ark. 


28 


[NO.  VL] 

Fort  Smith,   Arkansas,  > 
January   14,    1862.       \ 

SiK  :  In  compliance  with  your  letter  of  instructions  of 
the  10th  inst.,  I  have  the  honor  to  present  in  detail  the  con- 
dition of  affairs  connected  v.ith  the  Wichita  agency.  In  thus 
presenting  my  report,  I  shall  attempt  to  be  governed  by  as 
much  brevity  as  possible. 

In  detailing  the  affairs  of  the  people  in  my  charge,  and  of 
my  action  in  reference  to  them,  it  ^\i\\  become  necessary  to 
refer,  not  only  to  the  present,  but  to  their  past  history  in 
Texas.  There  was  a  time  in  Texas  Avhen  these  people  were 
in  a  prosperous  and  happy  condition,  and  they  advanced  as 
rapidly  in  the  arts  of  civilization  during  that  time,  perhaps, 
as  any  people  ever  did.  But  evil-disposed  persons  in  their 
vicinity,  and  those  not  far  distant  on  the  frontiers  of  Texas, 
became  dissatisfied  with  their  locality,  and  determined  to 
break  them  up.  They  continued  their  work  of  desolation 
until  the  Indians  -were  compelled  to  abandon  their  homes, 
and  seek  a  refuge  west  of  the  Chickasaw  and  Choctaw  na- 
tions, on  the  Leased  District.  In  doing  so,  they  suffered 
many  and  severe  losses  and  privations.  Numbers  of  their 
horses  and  cattle  were  driven  off  by  their  enemies,  and  many 
things  useful  to  them  were  necessarily  abandoned.  Estimates 
were  prepared  of  the  amount  of  damage  and  submitted  to  the 
original  United  States  Government,  but  before  any  action 
was  taken,  the  government  dissolved,  and  their  just  claims 
consequently  failed.  Therefore  permit  me  most  respectfully 
to  suggest  the  propriety  of  immediately  calling  the  attention 
of  our  government  and  of  the  proper  department  to  the  fact, 
in  order  that  these  people  may  obtain  adequate  remuneration. 

In  reference  to  their  habitations  they  have  nothing  to 
claim.  They  have  more  and  better  houses  than  they  had  in 
Texas.  The  Comanches  have  eight  or  ten  neatly  hewn  log 
cabins,  with  good  chimneys.  Three  double-hewn  log  houses, 
with  good  chimneys  to  each  room  for  the  chiefs,  in  addition 
to  a  number  of  warm,  comfortable  picket-houses,  which  they 
partly  built  themselves  and  covered  with  grass.  In  Texas 
they  had  but  one  house,  Avhich  belonged  to  the  chief. 

In  the  scramble  for  spoils  at  the  time  of  the  abandonment 
of  Fort  Cobb  by  the  Federal  troops,  they  were  not  altogether 
behind;  for  I  have  observed  among  them  several  new  Sibley 


29 

tents,  and  a  number  of  new  common  tents.  The  Toncaluias 
have  warm,  comfortable  houses,  made  of  poles  and  grass — ■ 
such  as  they  had  in  Texas.  And  for  the  chief  I  built  a  good 
double  log  house,  with  chimneys  to  each  room,  and  a  hall  or 
passage  in  the  centre,  in  which  he  now  lives. 

The  Anadahkoes  have  quite  a  number  ot  comfortable 
houses,  consisting  of  four  double  houses,  with  chimneys  to 
each  room,  passages  in  the  centre,  and  to  some  of  them  shed 
rooms  attached.  The  remainder  con?ist  of  hewed  log  cabins 
and  picket-houses — such  as  they  had  in  Texas — covered 
with  grass.  The  Caddoes  also  have  quite  a  number  of  houses, 
consisting  of  various  double  houses,  single  houses  and  pick- 
et-houses. The  Wichitas  have  no  houses,  except  such  as 
they  have  built  for  themselves,  consisting  ot  a  net-work  of 
sticks  and  grass ;  but  they  are  warm  and  comfortable.  They 
Lave  not  decided  upon  a  permanent  location,  and,  conse- 
quently, refuse  to  have  houses  built.  The  Tahhuacarroes, 
Wacoes,  lonies  and  Kichais  inhabit  the  same  kind  of  houses 
aa  the  Wichitas,  and,  like  them,  have  not  decided  upon  a  per- 
manent location.  The  Shawnees  and  Delawares  all  have  got 
comfortable  cabins. 

In  February  last,  whilst  at  Washington,  I  closed  all  my 
former  accounts  with  the  Department  of  the  Interior  of  the 
United  States  Government,  and  csti-iiated  for  the  first  and 
second  quarters  of  1861 — which  estimates  amounted  to  thir- 
teen thousand  eight  hundred  and  ninety-nine  dollars,  ($13,- 
899.) 

On  my  way  to  the  Agency  in  the  Indian  country,  pre- 
pared to  carry  out  the  designs  and  expectations  of  the  gov- 
ernment, I  was  arrested  by  one  Burrow,  who  represented 
himself  to  be  a  General,  on  the  part  of  the  State  of  .A.rkan- 
sas,  who  examined  my  papers  and  took  from  me  one  wagon, 
four  sets  of  harness,  one  horse  and  seven  mules — property 
which  had  been  purchased  by  the  United  States  Government 
for  the  use  and  benefit  of  the  Indians  in  my  charge — all  of 
which  was  subsequently  returned,  with  the  exception  of  two 
of  the  mules.  After  the  wagons  and  mules  were  taken,  I 
hired  transportation  and  proceeded  to  the  Agency,  where  I 
found  the  Indians  in  a  high  state  of  excitement  and  alarm — 
their  fears  having  been  excited  by  a  Delaware  Indian,  by  the 
name  of  Jim  Ned,  and  other  evil-disposed  persons — tattlers 
and  tale-bearers,  who  are  apt  to  be  found  loitering  about  In- 
dian Reserves.  In  reference  to  the  people  of  Texas,  I  suc- 
ceeded in   satisfying   them   that   their   apprehensions  were 


30 

groundless.  I  let  several  contracts  for  breaking  prairie,  and 
commenced  the  work  generally,  in  accordance  with  my  esti- 
mates and  the  wishes  of  the  Department.  But  soon  after- 
wards my  State  (Texas)  seceded  from  the  Union,  and  I  de- 
termined no  longer  to  act  as  a  Federal  officer,  and  having  no 
authority  to  act  for  the  Confederate  States,  I  delivered  to 
the  Indians  all  the  property  in  my  possession,  which  was 
held  in  trust  for  their  benefit,  with  the  exception  of  two 
wagons,  which  were  used  in  m}'-  transportation,  which,  to- 
gether with  one  that  had  previously  been  loaned  to  the  com- 
missary, are  now  reported  on  my  property  rolls.  With  a 
hope  to  satisfy  the  Indians  until  an  agent  should  be  appoint- 
ed by  the  Confederate  States,  (which  I  assured  them  would 
soon  take  place,)  I  expended  the  remainder  of  the  monies 
in  my  hands  for  blankets,  tobacco  and  clothing  for  them — 
they  being  in  a  destitute  condition,  occasioned  principally 
on  account  of  losses  sustained  by  their  goods  being  sunk  in 
the  Arkansas  river,  and  by  the  fire  at  Fort  Smith.  The 
goods  were  intended  to  be  duplicated,  and  monies  had  been 
promised  for  that  purpose  in  advance  of  their  regular  supply 
of  goods,  of  which  the  Indians  were  apprised. 

Upon  the  withdrawal  of  Texas  from  the  Union,  they  again 
became  apprehensive  of  danger  from  the  people  of  that  State. 
I  reminded  them  that  I  was  a  Texan,  and  in  order  that  they 
might  have  a  positive  guaranty  of  safety,  that  they  should 
have  Texan  troops  to  defend  them.  I  made  the  application 
and  Captain  Diamond's  company  arrived  on  the  day  of  my 
departure. 

During  the  whole  course  of  my  operations  as  Comanche 
Agent,  and  more  particularly  the  past  year,  my  best  efforts 
have  been  employed  with  a  hope  to  induce  all  the  Southern 
bands  of  Comanches  to  abandon  their  wandering  habits,  be- 
come colonized  and  settled,  that  being  the  most  effectual 
means,  and  by  far  the  least  expensive  mode  of  checking  the 
depredations  on  Texas,  and  finally  by  means  of  messengers 
and  messages,  I  induced  them  to  come  in  on  the  first  of  Au- 
gust last,  and  enter  into  treaty  stipulations  with  Commis- 
sioner Pike.  A  train  of  untoward  circumstances  prevented 
the  Commissioner  from  complying  strictly  with  his  agree- 
ments with  them,  which  has  cast  a  shade  of  discontent  upon 
their  minds,  and  they  say  that  it  is  the  cause  of  the  non- 
compliance on  their  part,  (of  their  agreement)  which  was  to 
settle  on  the  Reserves  last  fall,  and  abandon  their  roving 
habits.     This,  however,   I  do   not  believe.     If  the  Commis- 


31 

sioner  had  met  them  at  the  time  appointed  (the  falling  of  the 
leaves,)  with  all  the  goods  promised,  I  am  of  the  opinion  they 
would  have  received  the  goods,  made  some  excuse,  and  re- 
turned again  to  the  prairies.  Such  has  been  the  case  with 
the  other  Comanches,  who  have  settled  for  several  years,  and 
I  think  they  would  have  done  so  too.  Perhaps  their  steal- 
ing operations  would  not  have  been  so  extensive ;  but  they 
say  that  that  practice  shall  cease,  at  any  rate,  as  lono- 
as  they  are  friends  with  us. 

In  November  last,  I  received  a  visit  from  a  Kiowa  cliief, 
by  the  name  of  ''  Big-head,"  who  made  many  fair  promises 
and  agreed  to  settle  on, the  Reserve  with  his  people;  but  in 
this  I  place  but  little  reliance.  The  Kiowas  are  a  very  nu- 
merous band.  They  are  Northern  Indians,  and  their  princi- 
pnl  range  is  from  the  sources  of  Arkansas  river  to  Bent's 
Fort.  Their  principal  chief  originally  spoke  contemptuous- 
ly of  the  United  States  Government  and  troops,  notwith- 
standing, he  annually  received  a  large  amount  of  presents 
from  that  Government,  consisting  of  blankets,  clothing,  to- 
bacco, rifles,  powder,  lead,  &c.,  &c.  They  now  have  a'^Fed- 
eral  /Vgcnt  at  Bent's  Fort.  During  the  past  six  months,  but 
little  has-been  done  on  the  Reserve.  T  have  had  no  means  to 
accomplish  much.  The  employees,  who  have  been  engaged, 
have  suffered  considerably  with  sickness,  during  the  months 
of  September  and  October  last.  They  have  built  a  very 
comfortable  double  log  house,  with  a  gallery  in  front,  and  a 
stable,  which  is  partly  finished,  to  which  a  room  is  attached 
for  the  benefit  of  employees.  Without  such  protection  and 
security,  there  is  no  safety  for  the  public  animals  necessary 
to  carry  on  the  farming  operations  of  the  Reserve. 

No  troops  being  stationed  on  the  Leased  District,  I  have 
been  unable  to  exercise  the  necessary  control.  The  Indians 
have  been  kept  in  a  constant  state  of  turmoil  by  false  repre- 
s.=>ntations,  both  in  reference  to  mjself,  and  things  affecting 
their  individual  interest.  No  Indian  Reserve  can  be  con- 
ducted in  a  satisfactory  manner,  either  to  the  Government  or 
Indians,  without  the  co-operation  of  troops,  to  enable  the 
xigent  to  enforce  the  Intercourse  Laws,  and  eject  disorderly 
persons  from  amongst  them. 

No  funds,  as  yet,  have  been  received  to  meet  the  current 
expenses  of  the  Agency,  nor  has  any  forage  been  furnished, 
except  24  bushels  of  corn,  and  12  of  oats,  which  were  re- 
ceived from  Commissioner  Pike.  The  remainder  of  the 
forage,  which  was  used  in   sustaining  two   Government  ani- 


32 

rnals,  and  four  private  animals,  employed  in  the  public  ser- 
vice, from  1st  August  to  last  of  October,  and  from  that  time 
till  the  31st  December,  four  additional  public  animals,  was 
gathered  up  at  the  different  corn  houses,  which  had  been 
abandoned,  and  were  going  to  destruction  at  Fort  Cobb,  and 
a  small  amount  purchased  on  my  own  responsibility  from  the 
contractor  for  supplying  the  Indians.  It  is  deemed  useless 
to  suggest  additional  plans  of  retrenchment  and  economy 
to  the  Government,  as  I  am  not  advised  as  to  the  extent  and 
nature  of  the  design  of  its  future  operations  in  reference  to 
the  affairs  of  the  Reserve. 
With  these  facts  submitted, 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir. 
Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

M.  LEEPER, 
Indian  As:cnt. 
To  E.  Rector, 

Supt,  of  Lid.  Affairs. 


33 


[NO.  VII.] 


Agency  for  the  Comanches,  Wichitas, 
AND  OTHER  Bands,  August  \Ath,  1862. 


Early  in  June  I  learned  the  condition  of  the  Reserve  In- 
dians. Mr.  Johnson's  contract  with  the  old  Government 
had  not  expired,  but  the  payments  to  him  were  to  be  made 
only  up  to  the  30th  June.  It  was  absolutely  indispensable 
to  feed  the  Reserve  Indians,  and  to  take  steps  to  induce 
them  who  had  left  to  return,  and  the  prairie  Comanches  to 
come  in  and  treat  with  us. 

The  Northern  commanders  in  New  Mexico  had  already 
set  on  foot  negotiations  with  them,  to  be  followed  by  a  regu- 
lar council  and  treaty. 

*  Under  these  circumstances  I  directed  Mr.  Johnson  in 
June  to  continue  to  feed  the  Indians  as  before,  and  on  such 
terms  as  w^e  should  agree  on  after  the  30th  of  June,  until  a 
contract  could  be  made  with  him  to  do  so  at  so  much  per 
ration. 

*  *  No  provision  having  been  made  for  feeding  the  Re- 
serve Indians  until  they  can  raise  corn  next  year,  it  be- 
came imperatively  necessary  that  some  arrangements  should 
be  made  at  once;  *  *  and  I  have  accordingly  felt  constrain- 
ed to  execute  a  contract  with  Mr.  Charles  B.  Johnson  afore- 
said, to  continue  to  issue  rations  of  subsistence  to  the  Re- 
serve Indians  for  one  year,  of  which  executed  in  triplicate, 
I  now  enclose  a  copy  to  you,  that  it  may  reach  the  depart- 
ment of  war  and  office  of  Indian  affairs. 

*  *  I  am  satisfied  the  price  fixed  per  ration  is  a  reasona- 
ble one.  If  there  had  been  time  to  receive  bids,  I  should 
not  have  done  so.  Besides  that  Mr.  Johnson  can  carry  on 
the  issues  without  intermission,  there  are  persons  who 
would  be  very  likely  to  bid  to  whom  I  would  not  award  a 
contract,  if  they  would  take  it  at  one-half  the  price  now 
fixed.  To  adopt  the  system  of  letting  out  contracts  to  the 
lowest  bidder,  is  to  offer  a  premium  to  the  contractor  to 
swindle  the  Indians,  as  certain  contractors  did  some  twen- 
ty-five years  ago,  by  false  bottoms  to  their  measures  and 
hollow  weights.  *  *  Under  the  present  contract  they  will 
receive  every  ounce  to  which  they  are  entitled.  This  I  am 
sure  of. 

*  *  If  the  cost  of  temporarily  feeding  these  Indians  seems 

3 


34 

considerable,  the  Secretary  of  War  will  not  need  be  remind- 
ed that  it  has  always  proven  a  more  expensive  undertaking 
to  fight  Indians  than  to  feed  them.  The  Florida  war  and 
the  Indian  hostilities  of  Texas  are  pregnant  proofs  of  this 
truth.  Unless  peace  is  made  with  the  Comanches  and 
niaintained  with  them  and  the  Reserve  Indians,  we  shall 
have  to  foot  an  annual  bill  of  four  or  five  millions  at  least. 
*  *  It  is  right  that  I  should  add  that  most  of  the  Reserve 
Indians  are  industrious  and  willing  to  work ;  that  they 
made  last  year  and  this  several  thousand  rails  and  planted 
considerable  corn,  and  that  they  are  anxious  to  live  in 
houses.  *  *  There  is  no  difficulty  in  inducing  them  to 
labor  and  accumulate  property.  As  to  their  good  faith,  I 
,have  never  been  deceived  by  them,  and  with  hundreds  of 
men  in  and  around  my  camp,  not  an  article,  even  the 
smallest,  has  been  missed. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be, 
With  the  highest  regard. 

Your  very  obedient  servant, 

ALBERT  PIKE, 
Corner  of  the  C,  S.  to  the  Ind  ans  West  of  Arkansas, 
Hon.  Robert  Toombs, 

Secretary  of  State. 


35 

[NO.  VIII.] 

Richmond,  Va.,  > 
3nth  December,  1861.      S 

Sir  :  In  order  to  obtain  the  ratification  by  the  several  In- 
dian Tribes  of  the  amendments  made  by  Congress  to  the 
Indian  treaties  negotiated  by  me,  and  to  effect  a  treaty  with 
the  Kiowas,  I  have  sent  messages  to  the  Creeks,  Seminoles, 
Cherokees,  Choctaws  and  Chickasaws,  requesting  that  their 
National  Councils  may  be  convened  ;  and  to  the  Chiefs  of  the 
Osages,  Quapaws,  Senecas,  Senecas  and  Shawnees,  Coman- 
ches,  Reserve  Indians  and  Kiowas,  requesting  them  to  meet 
me  at  my  headquarters. 

It  will  be  necessary  to  furnish  provisions  to  the  Creek 
and  Seminole  Councils,  and  to  feed  the  more  uncivilized 
Chiefs  while  in  Council,  and  on  their  return,  as  also,  per- 
haps, to  make  some  presents ;  for  which  purposes  no  funds 
are  in  the  hands  of  the  Superintendent  or  myself. 

I  therefore  respectfully  suggest  that  the  sum  of  four 
thousand  dollars,  to  defray  these  expenses,  be  placed  in  the 
hands  of  the  Superintendent,  on  whom  I  wish  the  duty  of 
disbursing  the  same  to  be  imposed,  as  my  term  of  service  as 
Commissioner  has  expired. 

ALBERT  PIKE, 

Late  Com'r  of  the  C.  S.  to  the  Indiars  West  of  Arkansas. 

S.  S.  Scott,  Esq., 

Acfg  Corner  of  Indian  Affairs. 


S6 


[NO.  IX,  a.] 

Little  Rock,  Arkansas, 
25th  January,  1862. 

Sir  :  I  enclose  herewith  copies  of  certain  papers  taken  in 
Ho-poi-ith-li  Yo-ho-la  camp,  and  forwarded  to  me  by  Colonel 
James  Mcintosh.  They  will  show  you  what  appliances  have 
been  used  to  seduce  the  Indians  and  make  them  disloyal  to 
us. 

I  shall  print  these  documents  and  distribute  them  in  the 

Indian   country,  with  a  short  proclamation,   showing   how 

Agents  of  the  North  have  been  guilty  of  falsehood,  and  how 

they  allowed  their  deluded  followers  to  be  sacrificed.    *    *    * 

I  am,  very  truly,  yours, 

ALBERT  PIKE, 
Brig.  GenH  ConCg  Dept.  of  Indian  Territory. 

S.  S.  Scott,  Esq., 

Acting  0§m^r  of  Indian  Affairs. 


37 

[NO.  X,  b.] 
Barnesville,  September  10th,  1861. 

Ho-POl-ITH-LI  Yc-HO-LA, 
HOK-TAR-HAH-SAS    HaIJO  '. 

Brothers  :  Your  letter  by  Micco  Hulka  is  received.  You 
will  send  a  delegation  of  your  best  men  to  meet  the  Com- 
missioners of  the  United  States  Government  in  Kansas. 

I  am  authorized  to  inform  you  that  the  President  will  not 
forget  you.  Our  armies  will  soon  go  South,  and  those  of 
your  people  who  are  true  and  loyal  to  the  Government  will 
be  treated  as  friends  ;  your  rights  and  your  property  will  be 
respected.  The  Commissioners  from  the  ''  Confederate 
States"  have  deceived  you.  They  have  two  tongues.  They 
wanted  to  get  the  Indians  to  fight,  and  they  will  rob  and 
plunder  you,  if  they  can  get  you  into  trouble.  But  the 
President  is  still  alive,  his  soldiers  will  soon  drive  these 
men,  who  have  violated  your  homes,  from  the  land  they  have 
treacherously  entered.  When  your  delegates  return  to  you, 
they  will  be  able  to  inform  you  when  and  where  your  mo- 
nies will  be  paid.  Those  who  stole  your  orphan  funds  will 
be  punished,  and  you  will  learn  that  the  people,  who  are 
true  to  the  Government,  which  has  so  long  protected  you, 
are  your  friends. 

Your  friend  and  brother, 

E.  H.  CARRUTH, 
Corner  of  the  U.  S.  Government, 


38 


[NO.  XI— c] 

Headquarters  of  Kansas  Brigade, 
Barnesville,  Sept.  11,  1861. 

To  Tus-A-QuASH,  Chief  of  the  Wichitas : 

Friend  and  Brother  :  It  is  the  wish  of  the  Commission- 
ers of  the  United  States  Government,  that  you  either  come 
to  Kansas  with  your  friends,  the  Scminoles,  or  send  two  or 
three  of  your  best  braves.  We  also  want  the  Keechis,  Jo- 
nies,  Kadoes  and  the  Comanches,  to  send  some  of  their  men 
to  meet  and  have  a  ''talk"  with  the  Commissioners  of  your 
"  Great  Father,"  at  Washington.  His  soldiers  are  swift  as 
the  Antelope,  and  as  brave  as  the  mountain  bear,  and  they 
are  your  friends  and  brothers;  they  will  give  you  powder 
and  lead ;  they  will  fight  by  your  sides ;  your  enemies  will 
be  their  enemies.  Your  friend  "Black  Bearer"  will  meet 
you  here,  and  we  will  drive  away  the  bad  men  who  entered 
your  country  last  spring.  The  Texans  have  killed  the 
Wichitas;  we  will  punish  the  Texans.  Come  with  your 
brothers,  the  Seminoles.     Your  brother, 

E.  H.  CARRUTH, 
Commissioner  of  U.  S.  Government. 


39 


[NO.  XU—d.] 

Barnesville,  Kansas,  Sept.  11,  1861. 

To  the  Clhickasaws  and  Choctaws 

Who  are  loyal  to  the  United  States  Government : 

Friends  and  Brothers  :  The  Commissioners  of  the  Uni- 
ted States  would  like  to  meet  delegations  from  your  Nations, 
at  the  headquarters  of  the  Kansas  Brigade,  where  they  will 
confer  with  you.  The  Indians  who  are  true  to  the  Govern- 
ment will  always  and  everywhere  be  treated  as  friends  by 
her  armies.  Your  rights  will  be  held  sacred.  You  will  be 
protected  in  person  and  property.  It  is  only  over  the  ene- 
mies of  government  and  law  that  an  avenging  hand  will  be 
raised.  Very  Respectfully, 

E.  H.  CARRUTH, 
ComrrCr  of  U.  S.  Government. 
J.  H.  Lane, 

Commander  of  K.  B. 


40 


[NO.    XIII— e.] 

Shawnee  and  Wyandotte  Agency, 
State  of  Kansas,  September  24th,  186 


,1 


We,  the  Headmen  of  Shawnee  People, 

To  the  Headman  of  Creek  Nation,  Ho-poi-Hh-li   Yo-ho-la  : 

Brother:  Wc  were  rejoiced  to  see  the  delegation  of 
your  young  men  come  here  among  us,  to  visit,  smoke  and 
renew  our  old  talk,  which  our  fathers,  years  ago,  had  with 
each  other,  before  we  were  born.  My  brother,  hold  to  this 
counsel,  because  it  is  good.  Our  heads  are  white  ;  this  talk 
has  stood  a  long  while,  but  when  we  renew  our  talk  and  light 
up  our  council  fires,  it  comes  back  new  again  to  our  hearts, 
because  it  is  good.  We  want  you,  our  brother,  to  hold  fast 
to  our  Government — to  the  Union.  Think  of  your  chil- 
dren, your  women,  your  treaties  with  all  nations,  and  espe- 
cially your  treaty  with  the  United  States  Government ;  all 
your  interests  are  involved  in  this  Government,  and  it  will 
protect  you,  as  it  has  done ;  do  not  be  decoyed  away  from 
your  friends  by  wicked  men,  who  are  only  giving  you  fair 
talk  because  they  seek  your  help ;  they  are  willing  to  pro- 
mise everything,  but  perform  nothing.  We  were  sorry  to 
hear  that  some  of  your  brothers,  in  the  South,  have  taken 
up  the  war  hatchet,  which  our  fathers  have  buried  deep  in 
the  bowels  of  our  mother  earth.  Now,  brother,  hear  the 
talk  we  send  you ;  it  is  for  your  good,  and  the  good  of  your 
old  men,  women  and  children.  The  United  States  Govern- 
ment will  protect  all  its  friends,  and  if  you  suiFer  a  little 
now  for  her  sake,  remember,  when  this  war  is  over  she  will 
then  have  a  settlement  with  all  nations  who  fight  against 
her.  If  any  of  our  brothers  in  the  South  will  be  found 
fighting  against  her,  she  will,  on  the  close  of  the  war,  take 
all  their  land  and  property  from  them.  Let  not  the  people 
who  represent  themselves  as  friends  to  you,  deceive  you  into 
a  war  where  you  have  everything  to  lose,  and  nothing  to 
gain;  the  South  cannot  give  you  anything,  for  she  has  taken 
everything  from  you ;  look  in  all  the  South :  where  is  there 
a  tribe  of  Indians  ?  none,  I  say,  because  the  land  the  people 
in  the  South  wanted,  and  took  from  you. 


41 

But  my  brother  the  Creek,  if  he  has  taken  up  the  war 
hatchet,  bury  it  again,  and  remember  only  his  old  treaties 

PASCAL  FISH, 

his 
BLACK  XI    BOB, 
mark, 
his 
JACKSON    X!  ROGERS, 
mark, 
his 
JAMES    X  JACOBS, 
mark, 
his 
JOHN    X  CAPTAIN, 
mark, 
his 
JAMES  XI    LUCKET. 
mark. 
Attest ; 

U.  S.  Interpreter, 


pH8.5 


